A Blessing in Disguise
by YesILoveMyHorse
Summary: This is my take of the post-battle scene in Eclipse. I don't think it was quite done justice, so I've given Esme a bigger role in this one. Nobody gives her enough credit! Anyway, this is my second FanFic, and it is better than it sounds. Please read it!


**Hello... This is just a random one-shot of the scene in Eclipse, when the Voltouri kill Bree. Morbid, I know, but I don't think that it was done justice. **

**Carlisle reacts the way he does because he had spent time with the Voltouri before this encounter, but I think that Esme would have reacted to them wanting to kill Bree, because even though she had heard of their influence, she had never seen the full effect for herself, so I think she would have been more bold... **

**Anyway, enjoy! Please...?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the recognisable characters, timelines, quotes, and/or events in this story. I do, however, own an amazing horse called Nut, and a packet of salt-and-vinegar chips... **

**

* * *

**

The newborn stood at the edge of the clearing, watching with wide eyes as the fight raged.

She stood, frozen, while the yellow-eyed coven, and the _wolves_ tore her coven apart.

She shivered, alone and scared, as the violence ended as quickly as it had started, and the blond male, the most lethal one, turned to her, snarling.

Bree Tanner sat, curled into a ball on the frozen ground, the dangerous male pacing nearby.

Another blond male, older, and gentler, talked to the pretty woman wrapped in his arms. She had a delicate, heart-shaped face, and long caramel-coloured hair, pulled back into a high ponytail. They were both young-looking, maybe in their early twenties.

Bree stared at them curiously, until the frightening male snarled at her, crouching into an attack position and stalking closer, before a petite, black haired woman darted in front of him.

"No Jasper!" Bree shrank away from the loud noise.

The woman glanced apologetically at her, then said softly, "She won't do anything. Esme wants her, so Carlisle is going to try and save her."

The male called Jasper straightened up, gazing suspiciously at her, and she gazed back, mesmerised by his strange golden eyes. He stepped towards her.

She stayed still, but flinched as he snapped "Stay still. If you try to run, I will kill you. If you fight, you will die. They want to save you."

She nodded, trembling, obviously terrified. His scarred face softened marginally, before he turned away, and the small woman pressed her hand to his cheek.

_No!_ Bree wanted to cry. _Can't you tell he's dangerous?_

"Don't worry..." The small woman soothed. "He won't hurt _me._" Bree blinked, surprised.

"Alice... Be careful!" Jasper said as the woman, Alice, darted across the clearing, until she was standing a couple of metres away from Bree.

* * *

Jasper watched Alice speak with the newborn, nearly frantic with fear.

He stood, paralysed with helpless terror, as she crouched down in front of the girl and said something soothing, and the girl snapped at her. Within a split second, his arms were around Alice's waist, and he was standing with his _back to the newborn, _holding her to his chest.

"Jasper" Carlisle called. "Leave the newborn. Esme wants to speak with you." Esme withdrew from his arms and started towards Jasper. She began in a hushed whisper.

"Jasper... What can we do? Can we save her? It's not fa-"

"No." Jasper said flatly.

"Please? Jasper. Don't be so set. We can teach her."

"It's dangerous. It will hurt someone."

"She's a _person! She doesn't have to die!_ No-one here gave up on you. What would've happened if we did?" She hissed at him.

He drew away, startled by the rage rippling off her. Alice stepped forwards, in between them.

She glared at Jasper over her shoulder, before hugging Esme. "Some of the Voltouri Guard will be here soon. They'll decide. All we can do is try, Esme, but we will. I'm sorry." She stepped away, and tugged Jasper away by the hand.

Carlisle flitted over to her, catching her around the waist as her knees gave out. "Shh" He whispered into her hair as she shook in his arms. "Why this one? We have killed so many today. What makes this one so special?"

She let out a shaky, entirely unnecessary breath. "She's not as violent as they were. She could learn. She doesn't need to die like the rest of them." She murmured, looking up at him. "We could save her. I don't know why, but... Please?" She pressed her lips together.

Carlisle took a deep breath. "The Voltouri will decide, but we can try to persuade them. There is nothing else we can do."

She gazed at him through cold eyes, silently shaking her head. Then, with a defiant glare, she pulled away from him and walked towards the newborn.

* * *

Bree watched apprehensively as the caramel-haired woman walked at human pace across the clearing.

"Esme..." Called the older male helplessly. Then, to Bree's immense surprise, he turned to her, and pleaded "Please... Please don't hurt her. She wants to help you. Don't hurt her..."

The woman named Esme sat on the ground, only a metre away. She pulled her legs up to her chest, resting her head sideways on her knees, gazing shyly at her through warm, honey-coloured eyes.

Bree stared back.

"Hello." Said Esme quietly. "My name is Esme. Who are you?" Her sweet, calm voice was so different from the males', soft and musical.

Bree whispered, "I'm Bree. What're you going to do to me? I don't want to be here. He said you were going to kill us! What's happening?"

"Who told you?" Said Esme, shifting a little closer. Bree hissed, shrinking away. "Hush, child, I won't hurt you." For some reason, Bree believed her.

"Riley." She whispered. "Riley said you wanted Seattle. He said you were going to kill us for it. We had to come defend ourselves. You use mind tricks to confuse us, but we could beat you, he said. I... Were you?"

"No, child. We don't kill humans. We didn't want to kill any of you, either, you or your coven, but you attacked us. We were only defending our family."

Another two vampires entered the clearing.

One was a tall, lanky male with bronze-coloured hair. The other was a shorter, brown-haired female, but she was clumsier, and moved slowly. Her cheeks were red.

Bree thought that she was injured, as she stumbled across the snow.

The wind changed.

The females scent hit her full in the face, and Bree's throat burst into flame.

The female was a _human._

The bronze-haired male pulled her into his arms, shielding her from Bree's tortured gaze.

How did he manage it? Her throat was _right there_!

Bree dug her fingers into the frozen earth, fighting the burn in her throat.

"How do you stand it? I _want_ her..." She mewled to Esme, who gazed at her sympathetically.

"I know. I remember what it's like to be a newborn, but it gets easier... And she is family, so none of us will hurt her."

It sounded so simple, but it didn't erase the agonising fire in her throat. "Doesn't it hurt you?"

"Of course it does" Said Esme softly, "But it fades after time. Especially with our diet."

"What _do _you drink? I mean, you don't drink humans, right?"

Esme scooted closer, so that their arms were touching. " We... We exist on animals. We don't like the waste of human life, you see."

"But that human-"

"Esme! Two minutes. They are coming." Jasper rapped out.

Esme moaned, her forehead falling to rest on her knees. Bree cautiously placed her fingertips on the other woman's shoulder, and whispered "Who's coming?"

Esme looked at her sadly. "The Voltouri. They are like royalty, and they uphold the laws of our world. You... The man who created you, Riley, had to comply with these laws. He didn't." She gazed at Bree sadly. "He had to keep you controlled. But there were murders all over Seattle. He sent an army of newborn, wild, crazed vampires to destroy one of the most peaceful families in the world, with no reason. The Voltouri want to... Destroy the evidence, I suppose. We _are_ going to try and save you." She whispered feverently.

Bree's eyes widened in fear. "Are they going to kill me? I'm sorry you want to save me. I've killed so many people. Don't let them hurt me! You shouldn't have tried to save me, I'm not worth it!"

Esme glanced over at the male, Jasper, who was glaring at Bree, rapidly changing her emotions.

Bree shrank away from his loathing glare, struck by a sudden, cold terror.

"Jasper!" Esme scolded. "That was completely unnecessary. Would you please remember your manners?"

Suddenly, a low hiss reverberated around the clearing.

"Esme!" Carlisle choked, agonized. "Please. Leave the newborn. The Voltouri are here."

Esme nodded, suddenly fearful. She squeezed Bree's hand, stroked her hair, and left, flittering across the clearing to Carlisle's side. They exchanged a glance, and he whispered something into her ear.

She turned to glance back at Bree, as four figures emerged into the clearing.

Bree watched as the entire family shrank away.

_Family?_ She corrected herself. But, yes, they were more like a family than a coven.

How could four vampires have such an immense impact on them?

* * *

Edward watched with dignified resignation. Of course the Voltouri wouldn't bother to attend personally.

The Guard floated across the snow, coming to a halt in front of the Cullens.

Edward saw Esme's worried glance at the newborn, before turning back to the four vampires in front of them.

"Hmm," Jane, the smallest one, gazed at the newborn with dead, cold eyes.

"Hello, Jane." Carlisle murmured, his tone courteous. Jane nodded coolly, before her eyes landed on Edwards face.

"It appears we have missed most of the action. You have done well here." Then her dead eyes flickered towards the newborn, curled on the ground. She continued in an inflictionless voice, "But oh... You've missed one." E

sme tensed. _Don't let them hurt her, please, please... _Edward touched her elbow gently.

"I don't understand." Jane said tonelessly, although not as disinterested as before.

"She has surrendered" Edward explained, listening to the confusion in her mind.

Jane's dark eyes flashed to his face. "Surrendered? How?"

Carlisle stepped forwards, Esme mirroring his movements unconsciously. "We gave her the choice."

"There are no options for those who break the rules." Jane said flatly.

A cold fist gripped Esme's dead heart, and she felt weak at the knees.

Carlisle spoke then, as calm as ever. "That's in your hands."

Esme whimpered, almost imperceptibly, and Carlisle rubbed her back, out of view of the hard eyes of the Guard. "However, as long as she was willing to halt her attack on us, I saw no need to harm her. She was never taught."

"That is irrelevant" Jane insisted. Esme's breath hitched in her throat.

"As you wish." Carlisle permitted. Jane's eyes widened, before she recomposed herself.

"Aro hoped that we would get far enough west to see you, Carlisle. He sends you his regards."

Carlisle nodded. "I would appreciate it if you would convey mine to him."

"Of course." She gazed around. "It appears that you've done our work for us..."Her eyes flickered towards Bree again. "For the most part."

Esme pulled away from Carlisle, disgusted at his lack of protest. She leaned slightly towards the young girl, still curled into a tight ball on the ground.

Jane's eyes followed her, and made the connection.

"You there," She snapped, her voice as frosty as the surrounding air. "Your name."

Bree gazed up at her through wide, terrified eyes, trembling. Jane smiled back at her.

Bree's back arched, her ear-splitting shriek slicing the still air like a knife. Esme lurched towards her, before Carlisle caught her around her waist.

"Let me go. Right now." She hissed coldly. He didn't. She turned her pleading gaze towards Jane. "Please! There's no need to harm her. She'll tell you anything you want..." Jane looked away from the newborn.

Silence shrouded the clearing.

"Your name." Jane repeated.

"Bree!" She gasped. Jane smiled again, and the white-hot shards of pain pierced her through once more.

Esme moaned, slumping. She looked up at Carlisle's face, hoping for some shred of emotion, but his face was blank, eyes averted. She glanced at Rosalie, Jasper, Emmett, but they were the same. Only Bella's expression betrayed her thoughts, and she was disgusted, horrified, sickened. "You don't have to hurt her..." She protested weakly. Jane looked up, sudden, terrifying humour in her usually dead eyes.

"Oh, I know." She replied, turning back to Bree. "Bree," She said, voice cold again. "How many of them were you?"

Bree huddled, gasping. She spoke hurriedly. "Nineteen or twenty, maybe more, I don't know!" She cringed, terrified that her ignorance would bring more pain upon her. Esme crumpled, pushing Carlisle away, distraught, understanding the young girls fear. He crouched beside her, hands on her shoulders.

"Please... Esme, please. We can't do anything for her now. It's up to them. Please..."

"So she's as good as dead? I'd had you figured as a righteous person. But you'll just give up on her? She's a child, Carlisle!" Esme snarled.

"I know... I do understand what you think of me at the moment, but there is literally no way we can influence the Voltouri's decision. We could make it worse for everyone." She whimpered, and Bree, realising that no pain was intended for her, looked at her sadly. "Jasper..." Carlisle begged.

Jasper crouched in front of Esme, touching her cheek lightly.

"Esme? Mom... Please..." He sent a wave of soothing vibes towards her, and she looked at him helplessly, a mangled sob bubbling in her throat. The Voltouri Guard watched unfeelingly, ignoring the newborn on the ground before them, until Jane turned back to her sharply.

"Why were you brought here?" Jane snapped. Bree cringed.

"Riley said we had to destroy the strange yellow eye here." She whimpered. "He said it would be easy. He said that Seattle was theirs, and that they wanted to kill us. He said that once we got rid of them we could own the city. They use mind tricks to stop us... But he lied?" Her uncertainty turned her last statement in to a hesitant question.

"It looks like he was wrong about the easy part." Jane mused. "What happened here after that?"

"I... I don't know." She flinched. "We split up, but the others never came. And Riley left us, and he didn't come to help like he promised. And then it was so confusing, and everybody was in pieces." She shivered. "I was afraid... I didn't want to fight. That one-" She glanced at Carlisle "said they wouldn't hurt me if I was good..."

"But that, young one, was not his gift to offer," Jane said quietly, her voice oddly gentle. "Broken rules demand consequences."

Bree blanched, only partially understanding.

Jane looked at Carlisle. "I can't deny I'm impressed. I've never seen a coven survive this amount of danger completely whole. What was the motive behind this? It seems rather extreme..." Her voice trailed off, and she looked at Esme, crumpled on the ground.

"Their creator had a grudge against Bella." Edward spoke.

Jane laughed. The sound was a floating, bell-like sound of a happy child. "You seem to get bizarrely strong reactions from our kind." She smiled, then her face hardened again. "It appears that there's not much left for us to do here. Odd. We're not used to being rendered unnecessary. It's too bad we missed the fight..." She gazed, almost sympathetically, at Esme. "It would have prevented fruitless aspirations. Felix?"

"Stop!" Rosalie interjected. Esme looked up at her in surprise. The blonde vampire continued hurriedly. "We could explain the rules to the young one. She seems to want to learn." Rosalie glanced at Esme fiercely, with a look that said _I'm trying._ "She didn't know what was going on."

"The ice queen melts..." Drawled one of the hulking vampires at the back of the Guard. Emmett snarled.

"Quiet!" Jane snapped.

"We would take responsibility for her." Carlisle murmured. Jane seemed torn between amusement and disbelief.

"We don't make exceptions." She said. "And we don't hand out second chances like candy. It's bad for our reputation. Which reminds me..." She glanced at the human, Bella. "Caius will be _so _interested to hear you're still human, Bella. Perhaps he'll decide to visit..."

"There'll be no need for that." Alice chimed. "The date is set." Jane's smile faded, and she shrugged, indifferent. "It was nice to finally meet you, Carlisle. I'd thought Aro was exaggerating. Well, until we meet again..." Carlisle nodded, his face courteously blank.

"Take care of that, Felix." Jane nodded towards Bree, her voice dripping boredom. "I would like to go home now."

"No..." Esme moaned. Carlisle went to squeeze her shoulder, but she glared malevolently at him. Jasper hugged her tightly instead. "At least be kind to her." She begged into his shoulder.

"If she means so much to you... Alec?" Jane conceded. Another, slightly taller vampire stepped forwards.

"Don't watch..." Esme whispered. "I'm sorry..."

Bree shut her eyes.

"Felix..." Jane deadpanned.

The biggest vampire pulled a small, silver object from his cloak. He clicked it open, and a ribbon of fire darted out of it and engulfed the newborn. Esme bit back a horrified cry, and buried her face against Jaspers neck, whimpering.

"Shh..." He soothed. "It's not hurting her, I swear."

Eyes still shut, Bree asked, "What's not hurting me?"

"You see?" Esme let out a broken sob, but she nodded.

A harsh wind tore through the clearing, and as it passed, Bree seemed to dissolve into dust, and the ashes danced away on the wind.

"How...?" Esme whispered.

"Come..." Jane murmured, and the four vampires drifted towards the far end of the clearing. Esme shuddered, and Jasper held her tighter.

The grey cloaks disappeared into the mist.

"How did they do that...?" Esme repeated.

"Alec's power is that he can remove ones' senses. Bree couldn't feel anything..." Carlisle murmured.

"We'll leave." Rosalie offered. Jasper rose from his place on the ground beside Esme, and darted from the clearing, with Alice at his side. Emmett squeezed Rosalie to his chest, before patting Carlisle's back, and brushing Esme's hair with his fingertips. Rosalie did the same, and they too left.

"I'm taking Bella home." Edward announced, and flitted from the clearing, taking Bella with him.

"Look," Carlisle began, sinking into the snow beside Esme, "I know what you must think of me, but... I've seen, first hand, what they do to those who oppose them. If that had happened to you, I would've begged them to do the same to me. _Nobody_ can influence the Voltouri, and things would have only gotten worse if we'd tried to fight their decision." He swallowed. "I know... I know how much you wanted that newborn, but it would've been impossible-"

"Because of Bella, I know. I'm sorry." She whispered, shifting closer. "It's so unfair. She really had no idea... I'm sorry. I know it's not your fault, but... I don't know how you lived with that for a century. It seems so... _abhorrent._" He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her against him.

"I know. But we can't take in every lost newborn..."

Esme leaned against his chest. "I was so cruel to Jasper." She whispered brokenly. "But guilt doesn't do much to him. He probably hates me..." He rested his chin on top of her head.

"Nobody could hate you. Not for anything."

_Really? _She thought. "We're so lucky. We're all still safe."

"See? Something did come from that. What would've happened if she'd kept fighting? We might have lost someone."

She sighed. "A blessing in disguise, I suppose."

**Alright... How did y'all like that one? I kind of struggled with it, but I was quite pleased with the end result. Were you? Review and tell me! Love you all. :P**


End file.
